Hello everyone! I'm in high school, and have music lined up for my next semester. I have already decreed that I WILL be playing the bass guitar, and if by slim chance I cannot, plan to snatch piano, violin, (if they even have them... I don't think so.) or flute. I already know how to play an acoustic/electric guitar, mind you, not very well. I can play nearly all the chords, and with tabs and time, learned to play a few songs. I know that acoustic guitars are very different from bass, but are the chords drastically different? Like, warped to basically learning how to play a whole new instrument. I ask because I want to start playing acoustic again, and hope that practice playing that might rub off when I start music next semester.
Thanks, everyone!

Endiku

10-25-2013 08:01 PM

I play the electric and acoustic guitar but not the bass, so I'm no help- but according to my friend its a lot easier to go from acoustic/electric to base than vice versa.

smrobs

10-25-2013 09:15 PM

I would love to help you out, but the only type of bass playing I'm even remotely familiar with is the "walking bass" and I don't actually play, I'm just in a band (I play acoustic). If the walking bass what you're wanting to do then, yes, it's pretty much like learning a whole new (though similar) instrument.

If you took your electric guitar and clipped off the two top strings, you would have the same set up as a bass, except that the bass is an octave lower. It should be an easy transition. Most bass lines are not going to call for you to play chords, but only the root of the chords and maybe a walking arpeggio or blues line.

If you become proficient at bass, you will always be able to find a group to play with. It is a good instrument to know.

I play a little bit of bass, but I mostly play electric guitar.

Incitatus32

10-25-2013 09:52 PM

I've played string bass, and fiddled with electric bass (and violin), and play guitar so I hope I can help. Anyone who has more experience with an electric bass can feel free to correct me because I'm limited in this one, but I figured: hey, string bass, electric bass... there's not a lot of difference to me. lol

The major difference with the chords I think are that with bass there's really not a way to play chords like on an acoustic. From what I've seen/experienced bass is more about playing the lower note on the chord that the group is playing and supporting it. If your reading sheet music the clef will also be different then tabs, or treble clef (but once you know it it's the easiest one imo).

In a lot of ways it is very different from acoustic guitar, especially if you do a lot of chords and not a lot of plucking (like most classical guitars are done in). Bass is fairly easy for people to pick up I think because it's very forgiving and straightforward. (Between you and me, it'll also teach you how to stretch and build callouses like no other instrument can :wink:). I don't know how well going from acoustic to bass will transfer over, but I have found that transferring what you know from bass into acoustic does help a lot. Bass is fun and bassists are always needed (and are the life of the band/party :lol:)

Northernstar

10-25-2013 10:08 PM

What tremendous musical goals, and good for you! If you do plan to snatch up the flute, prepare yourself for many private lessons just to learn the fingering, and then play basic little tunes over time- but expect a decade or so to play Handel! Also, learn to breath for long periods using your diaphragm, as it takes more air to play flute than the tuba...Very difficult instrument, but absolutely beautiful! :)